§ Captain Bullockasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the number of French students at British universities fell from 163 in 1946–47 to 131 in 1947–48 and to 95 in 1948–49; and to what extent practical encouragement is being given by the Government at the present time for a liberal exchange of students between British and French universities.
§ Mr. MayhewI have been asked to reply. The reasons for the decrease in numbers appear to be partly financial, and partly in consequence of the recovery since the war of facilities for English studies in France.
Out of an annual total of approximately 350 scholarships awarded by the British Council to overseas students to enable them to study at British universities, the following have in recent years 137W been allotted to France: 1946–47–10, 1947–48‴8, 1948–49–9 and 1949–50–12.
The arrangements for publicising the offer of these scholarships in France have been found inadequate, and the Mixed Commission set up under the Anglo-French Cultural Convention has now gone into the question of improving them.
The Mixed Commission has also undertaken a study of the existing arrangements made by British and French Universities for exchanges of students, in order to see that students are adequately aware of the opportunities open to them.